IUCN threat status:

Comprehensive Description

Description

Xenopus gilli was first described by Rose and Hewitt (1927). It is a tetraploid species with a chromosome number of 36 (Tinsley and Kobel 1996). The females average 55 mm in length and can be as long as 60 mm, while the males are about 30% the length of females. X. gilli has a pointed head and contains a lower eyelid that covers almost half its eye. Furthermore, X. gilli has no subocular tentacle and has one less toe than most other Xenopus species. X. gilli has a dorsal color that is yellowish-brown and has two or four bands of dark spots behind the eyes. In addition, X. gilli tends to be heavily spotted ventrally, although several specimens have been found to be spotless. The clear and distinct markings on X. gilli make it easily distinguishable from other closely related Xenopus species such as X. laevis (Tinsley and Kobel 1996).